Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) enables low-income families to reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. Funds are used to improve the energy performance of dwellings families in need, using the most advanced technologies and testing procedures available in the housing industry.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program provides grants to states, territories, and some Indian tribes to improve the energy efficiency of the homes of low-income families. These governments, in turn, contract with local governments and nonprofit agencies.
How Does the Weatherization Application Process Work?
You will go through the following three-step process to apply for weatherization.
1. FIND YOUR LOCAL WEATHERIZATION AGENCY
Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Action Agency – serving residents of Montgomery Count
2. APPLY
You will have to fill out an application form to apply for weatherization. It is not a difficult form, and usually takes about 20 minutes to complete. You must have proof of income for the year prior to application. (For the elderly and people on fixed incomes, this is usually easy to do). You will likely answer a small number of questions about your household, such as the number of people living in the home
3. YOUR ELIGIBILITY IS DETERMINED
After receiving your application, the weatherization agency will determine if you are eligible to receive weatherization services. If approved, your weatherization agency will most likely put you on a waiting list. Please remember that people who are most in need are often moved to the top of this list. Finally, if you rent, you must get permission from your landlord before workers can begin work on the house.
Download the Weatherization Assistance Program Application.
What Happens After I Am Approved for Weatherization Services?
The first step in the process is for your local weatherization agency to carry out an energy audit. This agency is a nonprofit weatherization organization, local governmental agency, or sometimes a contractor trained in home energy services. The energy audit is a computerized assessment of your home's energy use carried out by professional energy auditors. It includes an analysis of your energy bills, a blower-door (pressurized) test of the infiltration of outside air into your house, and an inspection of all energy equipment for health and safety. Finally, the auditor will provide you with a recommended list of the most cost-effective energy conservation measures for your home.
Once the audit is complete, the auditor or inspector from the local weatherization agency will meet with you and your family to explain how the work crews will conduct the work. Depending on your needs, the inspector will recommend more work in some homes than in others. All work is energy-related and does not include new roofing, siding, or similar structural improvements. The average expenditure is $6,500 per home. Weatherization workers typically complete their work in a day or two, and then you sign off on final inspection.
Throughout the weatherization process, the health and safety of your family remain a priority. Following weatherization, an inspector will return to make certain that nothing was missed and all equipment is operating safely.
Please call for additional information - 931-896-1800.
FINDING HELP WITH ENERGY BILLS
In addition to weatherization, the following federal programs provide support for low-income families that need help with their energy bills.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides short-term assistance to low-income families to help pay utility bills. This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Click here for additional information about LIHEAP.